


Perfect Secrets

by Guardianofrivendell



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Badass OFC, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Gandalf being a little shit at times, Jerk Legolas at first, Legolas being a little shit, Like Sloooow Burn, No mary sues here, Slow Burn, Ten Fellowship Members, Visions, lots of sass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28630428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guardianofrivendell/pseuds/Guardianofrivendell
Summary: A short and unusual name for a short and unusual Elf. After an audience with Galadriel goes sideways, she leaves her birthplace Lóthlorien and the Elves for good.  That is until a certain Gandalf asks for a favor. Come along on her journey, as she reluctantly agrees to accompany Gandalf on the quest to destroy the One Ring.  She befriends every Fellowship member, except one. Legolas and Mira are water and fire from the very first moment they laid eyes on each other. Will this be an obstacle during the quest or is it going to make everything just a little more interesting?
Relationships: Legolas Greenleaf/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1: Mira

Mira.   
A short and unusual name for an Elf, but it fitted her perfectly. After all, many would call her short and unusual too. That is, if they had known she was an Elf to begin with. But more of that later.  
You see, her name hadn’t always been Mira. When she was born, she was given the name Eímiraelyn. [εɪ-mirəlɪn]

Mira used to live with her parents in Lóthlorien. From the moment she was born, she had been different, or as her parents like to call her ‘special’.  
Elves were fairly tall, elegant and light footed. She was anything but. Short with long hair; not blonde and perfectly straight like most Elves, no, Mira had to have dark burgundy hair that curled at the ends, which turned fiery red when the sun touched her head.   
And as if that wasn’t enough, she was clumsy. No big deal, you would think, but a clumsy Elf, that was unheard of.   
The only thing that made her a typical Elf on the outside, were her pointy ears. 

The other children teased her for not being a pure Elf because she looked different and she had often asked her Nanneth and Ada if it was true.   
And every time they would assure her that she was one of the purest, that there was no other as special as she was. That one day she was destined to do great things.   
Mira hated it. She didn’t want to be special, she just wanted to fit in.

There was one thing about her appearance that she was proud of: her eyes. They were dark brown at the edges, turning lighter towards the iris and in the lighter section you could see small green freckles. It reminded her of the trees in the forest.   
When she grew older, she started to withdraw herself in her room or the training grounds, showing interest in the archers and guards who trained their sword skills.   
One might expect she would constantly hurt herself in training because of her clumsiness, but to her own surprise and especially that of others she was a natural in archery and wasn’t all that bad with knives. She had tried to wield a sword but it didn’t feel right to her. Relieved she finally found something she was good at, she spent all her time perfecting her skills. 

Her peaceful time in Lóthlorien came to an abrupt halt when she turned a hundred.   
It was tradition for every Elf in Lóthlorien to have a private audience with Lady Galadriel when their 100th winter passed. Mira was excited, even though she had no idea what to expect. No one was allowed to discuss their audience, because it was different and very personal for each.   
For Mira it was her only chance to ask for a favor of the Lady of the Light. And she was going to take it with both hands. 

To say it didn’t quite go as planned was an understatement. What Mira learned that day would change everything.   
The Lady Galadriel welcomed her and had asked about her expectations of their meeting. When Mira requested if her appearance could be more like everyone else, she had immediately declined, repeating the words her parents told her countless times.  
“You are very special, Eímiraelyn. Destined to do great things, it would be highly unwise to turn away from your own destiny.”  
“And what may that destiny be?” Mira had asked. Lady Galadriel had smiled kindly to her.   
“That is for you to find out, hîn nin.” (My Child)  
She had rolled her eyes at that, earning a chuckle from Galadriel.   
“Tell me, Eímiraelyn, have you noticed something different about you?”  
Mira gave her a very sarcastic look, as if to say ‘Seriously?’. She grabbed a lock of her hair to emphasize what she meant.   
“I do not speak of your appearance. You, hîn nin, have been touched by the Valar and were blessed with the gift of foresight. It is not as strong as mine, but it can be trained.”  
Mira blinked a couple of times. Foresight? As in seeing the future?  
“Your gift is still very small, only flashes from what is to happen. Mere seconds, not easy to read.”  
“Suuuure… And I’m a princess too?” Mira couldn’t help but roll her eyes again. One day her sarcasm would get her into a lot of trouble, but it just came natural to her.   
Lady Galadriel only stared, a knowing smile on her lips.  
“You’re kidding me right?”  
“You carry a remarkable fierceness within you, Eímiraelyn, it is one of your greatest strengths. I’m quite certain the Prince of Mirkwood will appreciate it as much as I do.”  
“Who?”  
“Ever since you were born, hîn nin, there has been an agreement between the kingdoms of Lóthlorien and Mirkwood that you were to be wedded to their Prince as soon as you come of age.”   
Lady Galadriel had awaited her reaction to the news with caution. Mira had managed to keep herself together, but internally she was boiling with anger. An arranged marriage? Was that why they kept telling her she was so special? Because she was ‘reserved’ for some kind of stuck up, spoiled Elven Prince who was almost certainly struggling with Ada issues and had a brain as empty as the Mines of Moria?  
“I suppose I don’t have anything to say about this?”  
“My dear Eímiraelyn. I would have been surprised if you had gone along with it willingly,” Lady Galadriel smiled at her knowingly. “The King of Mirkwood and his son will arrive in a few weeks for you. I am quite sure you will take a liking to the Prince as soon as you meet him.”   
As much as she trusted Lady Galadriel’s judgement, she wasn’t planning on sticking around to see for herself.   
The audience had ended shortly after, leaving Mira extremely disappointed.   
She still looked the way she did, was ‘blessed’ with a gift that hadn’t yet surfaced and on top of that, she was on the eve of an arranged marriage to a prince she had never met.   
She tried countless times to persuade her parents to change their mind about the marriage, but they kept telling her that it was an honour that the Valar’s choice had fallen on her and that she was extremely fortunate to be able to live a royal life. Mira couldn’t disagree more.   
She said goodbye to Lóthlorien a few days later, taking her bow and knives and the clothes she was wearing as her only belongings. 

That was almost eight hundred years ago. She changed her name to Mira, kept her ears hidden beneath her hair and started swerving around Middle Earth on her own for a couple of years.   
Once in a while she would stay at a village of the race of Men, but not the larger ones. She avoided Edoras and Minas Tirith, too afraid to bump into Elves who might recognize her. Curse her dark red hair. 

After a century or two, she decided to explore Middle Earth some more.   
It was during one of those ‘expeditions’ that she met Gandalf. He had immediately known who she was, even tried to persuade her into returning to Lóthlorien, but Mira had made it very clear that it wasn’t an option, begging him not to tell anyone that he saw her.   
Gandalf had gifted her a dark brown cloak, that was fairly short - it ended right at the top of her thighs - but the most useful part was the large hood.   
That cloak became her biggest friend. She wore the hood up constantly, keeping her burgundy hair out of sight. Because she didn’t look like your standard Elf, she could hide her race pretty well too.   
From that day on, Mira only lived with or stayed close to humans, helping them defend their village against Orcs and other scum. When they became suspicious of her not ageing, she simply left and traveled further. This worked just fine. 

Once in a while she bumped into Gandalf again, sometimes accompanying him on some of his ‘quests’, as he liked to call them.   
She always accepted his invitations, except for that one time.   
Almost 7 centuries after she had left Lóthlorien, Gandalf had asked her to be his ‘burglar’ for something he would call the “Quest of Erebor”. She of course had turned it down, asking him if he had lost his mind. It would take her way too close to Mirkwood. She couldn’t risk it.   
Gandalf had protested, but let her go. She learned afterwards that he succeeded in his journey and it had resulted in a massive battle between Dwarves, Elves, Men and Orcs. It almost made her regret her decision, it sounded like a lot of fun. 

She hadn’t heard from Gandalf since.   
That was until today.


	2. Chapter 2: To Rivendell of all places

Mira was crossing the Old Forest, on her way to Hobbiton. It had been literal centuries since she had been in the Shire and she was curious how it had changed in the meantime. She was hoping that for one, she was welcome and two, that she could stay for a couple of months before moving on to her next destination. Wherever that may be. 

With her hood still up - you might never know - she placed herself behind a rock to take a break and have a bite to eat before continuing her journey. She nibbled absentmindedly on her last piece of fruit. Another reason to linger in the Shire for a while: food.   
If she learned one thing on her last stay with the Hobbits, it was that they knew how to appreciate food. Maybe they could provide her with enough provision for the next part of her journey... Not that she really needed it, but living around humans for so long made her appreciate food for the taste instead of pure nourishment. 

Out of nowhere she started to feel uncomfortable. Her eyes darted from tree to tree, down to the bushes, even to the sky to try and locate the threat. But she couldn’t see anything wrong.

“Eímiraelyn!” 

A voice echoed in her mind. It came so unexpected that she dropped her apple to the ground. She rolled her eyes even though the messenger wouldn’t see it. There was only one person who would contact her this way.

“I told you many times not to call me that, Gandalf,” she sighed. She hated it when he did this. It did explain her uncomfortable feeling, so she felt a little more at ease now, focusing on the voice in her head instead of her environment. 

“Come to the Valley of Rivendell,” Gandalf began. “I will await your arrival.”  
Rivendell? There was no way she would go to an Elven town. Absolutely no way.

“Trust me, Mira. You’ll want to be there. I know you will do the right thing.”   
The uncomfortable feeling disappeared, alerting Mira that Gandalf was out of her mind. She picked the apple from the ground and twisted it in her hands, pondering over Gandalf’s request. 

Rivendell was more than 400 miles away and she was on foot. Even if she decided to go, it would take her more than a couple of days to get there. And then there was the risk of someone recognizing her. She had never been to Rivendell before, but that didn’t mean anything.   
Gandalf asked for her help. She had turned him down last time, could she do it again? 

She thought about it for a few more hours, torn between her wanting to help Gandalf and the desire to stay hidden. Leave for Rivendell, or continue her journey to the Shire.   
Her eyes started trembling and her vision shifted from the forest around her to images flashing in front of her. She couldn’t see them very clearly because it all went pretty fast, but she saw what she thought to be Rivendell, Orthanc, Saruman, battles between Orcs and Men, and snowy mountains but the last one made her head start to shake to get rid of it: the forest of Lóthlorien.

Visions like the one she just had weren’t uncommon anymore. They had started a few years after she left her home, only lasting a fraction of seconds and never clear enough to see something, let alone understand them. 

But lately they became more frequent and she started seeing longer images, long enough to actually see what they were. Sometimes feeling certain emotions with them as well.   
She knew from what Galadriel had told her at the time that it were flashes from the future, of what could be.   
When her vision changed back to normal, she let her head drop in her hands, her fingers disappearing in her hair beneath her hood. She softly pulled at the roots out of frustration, knowing what the vision was trying to tell her. 

She got to her feet, wiped the sand of her clothes and adjusted her hood. 

“Alright Mira, let’s go. It seems we have an eight days’ walk ahead of us,” she sighed. She threw the apple as far as she could as she headed in the opposite direction. To Rivendell of all places. 

✨

After eight days walking and almost no rest she reached the Ford of Bruinen, crossing the outer borders of Rivendell.   
Was this really such a good idea? What if they recognized her? The only ones who would really know she was a runaway were Gandalf, Galadriel, her parents and the King and Prince of Mirkwood. Her parents sailed to Valinor centuries ago, Galadriel wouldn’t leave Lóthlorien and what were the odds of Mirkwood royalty to be here at the exact same moment?   
She wasn’t taking any risks though. After she entered the forest surrounding the gorge where Rivendell was built, she climbed one of the trees to keep out of sight.   
She tucked every loose strand of hair into her hood to hide her ears, like she did when she lived with humans. She was used to pretending to be a mortal; if it was good enough to fool the humans, it would work with the Elves as well. Probably. Hopefully. 

Mira decided to stay off the ground for a while, choosing to jump from tree to tree instead. One of the benefits of being an Elf, she thought, jumping with ease, hardly making a sound while doing so.   
When she saw the first buildings of the town come into view, she let herself drop to the ground soundlessly.

“Still got it,” she said, smiling to herself. 

But when she rose to her full height, she looked straight at the tip of a notched arrow. She wasn’t the only one who had been silent. She tilted her head to see who had the audacity to point an arrow at her, surprised to find a rather handsome Elf with blue eyes and blonde hair attached to the bow. Figures, she thought. Of course it’s blonde. 

“One step further and you are dead,” he growled at her. Mira looked at him surprised. 

“You’re joking right?”

“Turn around,” he snapped at her. She groaned, but did as she was told. 

The ellon slung his bow back over his shoulders and returned his arrow in his quiver in a single swift movement. He took a step forward, grabbing her shoulder with one hand and her wrists in the other - a little rougher than she had expected - and he started to push her towards Rivendell. This was just lovely, she thought. 

“For your information, I’m here at the invitation of Gandalf the Grey,” Mira told him. “If you were invited, you would not be sneaking around and hiding in the trees. And the hood? Not suspicious at all,” he answered. 

They both reached a small square, where a couple of people stood in small conversation. 

“Lord Elrond,” the ellon called out. “I have found this being in the woods, sneaking around.”

The male Elf who was referred to as Lord Elrond, looked at Mira for a few seconds before he answered her captor. 

“Legolas, as I seem to recall, you do not belong to the Guard of Rivendell. I can assure you my guards would have intercepted her much earlier if she really was a threat.”

“Seriously?” Mira exclaimed, giving Legolas her deadliest glare. “You’re not even supposed to be doing this? Talk about an overachiever!” 

“If you’re not a threat, then why the disguise? Let us see who you are,” Legolas said, grabbing the edge of her hood to pull it off her head. Mira was just about to kick him in his knee caps - or preferably a little higher - when a familiar voice boomed over the square. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Legolas!”

Gandalf entered the space, and he didn’t look pleased at all. 

“She claims to be here at your invitation, Gandalf,” Legolas tried again. 

“That is true indeed,” Gandalf said. “She is here at my request.”   
He smiled kindly at Mira. “My dear child, how happy I am to finally see you again!”

“Likewise, Gandalf. It has been too long,” she replied, after which she mouthed him a ‘thank you’. Gandalf knew how much her anonymity meant to her. 

She looked behind her at Legolas, trying to move her wrists out of his grasp. “Would you mind?”

He reluctantly let her go.   
Before she could give him a piece of her mind - she really, really wanted to - Lord Elrond called everyone together, for some kind of council. The others followed him up the stairs, leaving Gandalf and Mira alone. Legolas also followed, but not before he gave her a cold look. 

“He seems very cheerful,” Mira murmured. She felt a hand on her shoulder. 

“Do not think I don’t appreciate your presence here, Mira, but what exactly made you change your mind?”

“Like you don’t already know that,” she immediately replied with a smirk.   
Gandalf pursed his lips into a thin line. 

“Are you willing to tell me what the vision showed you?”

Mira told him what she saw and felt. Gandalf was silent for a while after that, processing the new information.

“It is as I feared,” he told her eventually. “Saruman is no longer the Wizard he was before and is corrupted by evil. I experienced it first hand. We are at the verge of war.”

“Gandalf, Middle Earth is always at the verge of war.”

“As sad as it is, you are not wrong. Come, we have a Council meeting to attend.”  
Mira made no move to follow. 

“You need to be there too, my child. After all… you were destined for great things, were you not?”  
She rolled her eyes as he repeated the words of Galadriel.

“There is the Mira that I know,” he smiled.


	3. Chapter 3: The Council Meeting

While Gandalf and Mira climbed the stairs, she asked him why he had summoned her.   
Gandalf wouldn’t say, only telling her to be patient and that everything would be cleared up at the ‘Council of Elrond’. 

When the pair reached the top of the stairs, they were welcomed by Lord Elrond.  
The Council hadn’t begun yet, and Mira was a bit surprised to see more people than she expected to be at a secret meeting. A delegation of Elves, Dwarves, Men and one small Hobbit were seated in a circle, around a rock with a flattened surface.   
They were looking towards her and Gandalf. She could hear them mutter amongst themselves asking who the hooded lady was. She smirked confidently.   
Let them guess, she thought. They’ll never know. 

Elrond gestured to take a seat in the two remaining empty chairs, one next to the Hobbit and one between Legolas and the other Elves. Did Elrond suspect something?

Mira looked back at him, but he had already turned around to take a stand at the head of the circle. Gandalf took the seat next to the Halfling, whispering a few words into his ear. She hesitated for a few seconds, before walking around the outside of the circle to the wall of the building, feeling the eyes of everyone piercing her back. She turned around and leaned with her back against the wall, arms crossed, one foot over the other.   
It was her way to say she didn’t belong to the Elves nor Men, keeping the mystery alive. Plus she preferred to be in the background anyways. 

Gandalf nodded at Elrond, signaling that the Council could begin.

“Strangers from distant lands, friends and old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it, you will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to its fate; this one doom. Bring forth the ring, Frodo,” Elrond asked the small Hobbit. 

Frodo stood up and carefully placed a small golden ring on the centered rock. 

“So it’s true,” one of the Men gasped, his eyes fixed on the ring. “In a dream, I saw the Eastern sky grow dark. But in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying: your doom is near at hand. Isildur’s Bane is found.” He was on his feet now, and got dangerously close to the ring. 

“Boromir!” Elrond warned him. He sat down at once. 

“Frodo, will you tell us how this ring came to you and the troubles you have faced already?” Gandalf asked the Hobbit. 

Everyone listened to his story, how he inherited the ring from Bilbo, that he had encountered Black Riders, fought against them and got stabbed by a Morgul Blade in the process. 

Mira had listened to him intently. It was remarkable how such a small being had endured so much in so little time, there was no doubt this was the One Ring. Hobbits never cease to amaze her.  
The sky turned dark and ominous. Gandalf’s voice became deeper, there was a strange echo when he spoke. The moment he spoke the first words, Mira got a splitting headache. 

“Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul” (One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them)

Mira shook her head, trying to get rid of the headache. She didn’t want anyone to notice something was wrong, but she recognized the pained expressions from the other Elves. She was not the only one who felt it. 

As soon as Gandalf finished, the sky cleared and so did the headache.  
Lord Elrond gasped, definitely not happy with Gandalf’s actions.

“Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris!”

“I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether evil!”  
Well, he does have a point there, Mira thought to herself. Gandalf had been right, they were on the verge of war. If they had the One Ring, Sauron would do anything to get it back. 

“It is a gift. A gift from the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of my people are your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!” Boromir demanded. 

“You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master,” the ranger answered him. 

“And what would a ranger know of this matter?” Boromir sneered back. 

At this point, Legolas stood up from his chair.   
“This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance.”

“This is Isildur’s heir?” Boromir asked, just as Mira thought the exact same thing.

“And heir to the throne of Gondor,” Legolas countered confidently. 

Mira would say it was more arrogant than confident but maybe she was a bit biased. 

“Havo dad, Legolas,” Aragorn said to him, trying to calm him down. (Sit down)   
Legolas obeyed, but kept a stern look on Boromir. Mira could tell the tension was building. It wouldn’t take much before they’d start killing each other. She hadn’t missed the angry glances between the Elves and Dwarves. 

“Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king,” Boromir muttered angrily before taking a seat again. His attitude was starting to get on Mira’s nerves. What was it with men and their pride, always wanting to have the last word?

“Aragorn is right. We cannot use it,” Elrond intervened, trying to clear the tension. “You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed.”

“Then what are we waiting for?”   
One of the Dwarves jumped out of his seat and tried to destroy the Ring, shattering his axe in the process.   
Mira chuckled, noticing the stunned expression of the Dwarf upon seeing his ruined axe. She liked this one, he was straightforward and didn’t hesitate. 

“The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloín, by any craft that we here possess,” Elrond said to him. “The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm of whence it came. One of you must do this.”  
He looked around the circle, but there was no reaction. 

Boromir sighed heavily. “One does not simply walk into Mordor.”   
He continued warning everyone about the dangers Mordor held for anyone who dared to cross the Black Gates. 

Legolas interrupted him, clearly fed up with the man of Gondor.   
“Have you heard nothing of what Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!”

“Well yes, Elf Boy, we all heard that,” Mira muttered silently, rolling her eyes. She knew he would be the only one to hear it. Legolas’ head snapped in her direction, his eyes shooting daggers at her. Before he could say something, Gimli interrupted.

“And I suppose you think you’re the one to do it?” he shouted angrily at Legolas. “I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an Elf!”  
Mira had to admit that was taking it a bit too far. She might be hiding the fact that she was an Elf, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t proud of being one. 

The others took this as their cue to start arguing. Even Gandalf and Elrond took part in the fight, which surprised her.   
She had taken a few steps away from the wall, so she was ready to intervene if necessary. 

The only one who wasn’t participating was Frodo, he was still in his chair seemingly deep in thought. Mira also stayed out of the argument, and kept an eye on everyone in the room. 

All of a sudden Frodo’s eyes focused again and he said, “I will take it!”

Nobody except Gandalf and Mira had heard him. Gandalf closed his eyes in defeat, clearly not happy with the Hobbit’s suggestion.

“I will take the Ring to Mordor,” Frodo repeated, finally getting everyone’s attention. His expression changed once he noticed everyone staring at him, almost looking shy. “Though I do not know the way.”  
Gandalf kneeled in front of him, placing his hand on his shoulder. 

“I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear.”

Frodo looked very grateful. He should be, Mira thought, it was a very dangerous task and he should accept all the help he could get. She did think it was very brave of him to volunteer. Stupid too. But brave nonetheless. 

In the next few minutes, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir had offered their help as well. Mira couldn’t help but notice Legolas’ smirk when he looked at her. Was he challenging her? 

“Oi! Mister Frodo is not going anywhere without me!” Another Hobbit was coming out of the bushes, rushing towards the group. 

Elrond looked sternly at him, but Mira could see a hint of a smile. 

“No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not.”

Mira crossed her arms again, and leaned back against the wall behind her. The group standing before Elrond was a sight to behold. Wizards, Men, Elves, Dwarves and Hobbits, every race was represented. Who would have thought this to be possible?

“Seven companions-”, Elrond started but was interrupted by yet another pair of Hobbits who came running from behind the pillars in the back. 

“Wait! We are coming too!” They rushed to Frodo’s side. Mira smiled, she was certain these Hobbits would give Gandalf a hard, but interesting time during their quest. 

“You’d have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!” one of them said proudly, crossing his arms.

The younger Hobbit wanted to say something smart too, and added, “Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest… thing.”

“Well, that rules you out, Pip,” his friend was quick to answer. Mira snorted. 

Elrond opened his arms. “Nine companions-”

“Lord Elrond, if you please,” Gandalf interrupted him. Mira half expected Elrond to drop his arms at his side and just give up speaking altogether, but his expression didn’t even falter. Impressive.

“I do believe there is someone else who would be wise to join us,” Gandalf spoke, looking directly at Mira. 

Mira’s eyes widened. No, he wouldn’t, would he? She even looked behind her, forgetting she was leaning against a wall, to check if there was a chance he didn’t mean her. 

“Mira, my dear. Don’t keep us waiting,” he said warmly. 

She froze, frantically trying to think of an excuse, any excuse not to join them. 

“A woman?” Boromir laughed. “You can’t be serious! Does she even know how to fight?”

That comment made something stir within her. Like it wasn’t enough that Legolas had been acting like he did towards her, and now another man had to doubt her skills?  
In less than a split second she had drawn her two knives from her boots and threw them towards Boromir, effectively pinning his cape to the railing of the balcony behind him, without even scratching Legolas and the Hobbits, who were all standing in very close proximity. It did not only show her skills with a knife, but also her strength since the railing was made out of stone. 

“I can assure you, Boromir, that Mira knows exactly how to defend herself. Best not to get on her bad side,” Gandalf chuckled.   
Mira stepped towards Boromir and pulled her knives out of the railing, keeping her eyes fixed on Legolas the whole time, as if to say “Did you see that?”.

Elrond cleared his throat, opening his arms for the third time. Before he started, he looked at Gandalf, who nodded at him.   
“Ten companions… so be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!”


	4. Chapter 4: An Unexpected Journey

Everyone started to leave after the remaining Council Members had wished them a safe trip. Mira was still trying to wrap her head around it all. It slowly started to dawn on her that she was going to Mordor.   
Mordor.   
It’s not that she was afraid. She was brave enough, she had killed her fair share of Orcs. But this quest was nothing like she had ever done before. She had mostly been on her own, and now had to travel with nine others. Two of them being major dickheads.

“What is clouding your thoughts, my dear?” Gandalf’s voice sounded behind her. 

“Why, Gandalf?” She immediately shot back. 

“Because I was hungry, because I felt like it, it was the right time and because you wanted to. All answers to questions, but none to the one you just asked me. Let me ask you a question in return, Mira. Why not?”

Mira sighed, looking at the other members of the newly founded fellowship. Even though they had volunteered only a few moments before, they all looked so… prepared. 

“Because I’m not ready. This is nothing like the quests we’ve done in the past, Gandalf. I’m sure they all have something to contribute like strength and skills. Filled to the brink with courage, all of them…”  
She paused before she added, “Well, of one of them I’m quite certain it’s more stupidity and arrogance than courage but that’s not the point right now. Remember that I did not volunteer myself. You dragged me into this.” She poked his chest to back up her words. 

Gandalf wanted to say something, but she interrupted him immediately. “Don’t even think about bringing Galadriel’s words into this!”   
He raised his hands in defeat, chuckling lightly. “I was not planning to. Come, child, join me on a walk around the gardens.”

Legolas was talking to Aragorn, briefing him of the escape of Gollum. The reason he came to Rivendell in the first place. Not that he regretted his decision to join the Fellowship, it was the right thing to do and he would do anything in his power to protect the little Hobbit and help destroy the Ring. 

He saw Gandalf talking to the hooded lady. Mira, was it? Everyone could see that she didn’t want to go, and he could hear her complaining about it to the Grey Wizard.   
Why was Gandalf so keen on bringing her along? What was so special about her? Legolas didn’t like her and that was nothing like him. Somehow she annoyed him terribly. 

“Legolas?” Aragorn repeated. He looked at him in surprise. 

“Welcome back, mellon nin. You were deep in thought! What troubles you?” (My friend)

“Lady Mira. I can not help but have a bad feeling about her,” he stated. 

“And why is that?” 

Legolas watched them descend the stairs, Gandalf a few steps ahead and Mira trudging after him. Even now she still kept her hood up.

“She is constantly hiding underneath her hood. Clearly she does not want to join us. Yet Gandalf insists. I can’t help but wonder why.”

Aragorn smiled. “It’s Gandalf. He always has his reasons.”

“I hope you’re right,” Legolas sighed. He was going to keep an eye on her, until she proved him wrong. 

Mira walked alongside Gandalf through the many little garden paths of Rivendell. She had to admit it was very beautiful and it brought a certain peace to her. She felt almost comfortable being here. Almost. 

“You have skills that will be very useful during our journey, my dear. Do not belittle yourself,” Gandalf began. “Your visions are growing stronger.”

She nodded. “They are, but I can’t control them. I’m vulnerable when I have them, they’re blocking my sight. It’s not something you want to happen mid-fight.”

“There are nine others including myself who can keep an eye on you if that were to happen. You have excellent fighting skills. I cannot see a reason for you not to join.”

She looked at the old Wizard, studying the many wrinkles across his kind face. They went through a lot together, and she suddenly felt the need to protect him overcome her. She thought about all the times she saved him and when he returned the favor. Maybe it was for the best she went with him, if only to keep an eye on him.   
But then she noticed the twinkle in his eyes. 

“Gandalf?”

“Hm?”

“What are you not telling me?”

“These gardens are extraordinary, don’t you think? Let us find Lord Elrond so I can compliment him,” he said with a knowing smile and walked away. Mira stood with her hands down, lost for words. He only did this when he tried to hide something. 

“Gandalf!” she yelled before running after him.

*

Gandalf never told her what he was hiding and after a few days she gave up trying.

He did give her the advice to start getting to know the others before their journey began. Mira agreed, although reluctantly. She didn’t like talking all that much, afraid she would say something that would give her away. But then she realised they probably weren’t even alive back then - well, maybe the Elf was - and she started to feel more comfortable around them.   
She slowly warmed up to Aragorn and Gimli, making her feel a little more at ease. She hadn’t lowered her hood, and they didn’t ask her about it. Yet. 

During meals she preferred to sit with the Hobbits. Their kind and animated personalities made them ideal companions. She especially got along with Merry and Pippin, since Frodo kept mostly to himself and Sam was too busy worrying about Frodo’s wellbeing. It was nice to see how strong their friendship was.   
The only two members she tried to avoid as much as she could were Boromir and Legolas and she had the impression they were doing the same.   
She sometimes caught them staring at her during meals, but it wasn’t out of curiosity or even boredom. She knew both men didn’t trust her. Legolas’ electric blue eyes turned cold and distant every time they met hers. If looks could kill, Mira would be slaughtered at least twice a day. 

So to say the fellowship was one tight big family when they left a few weeks later… that would be part truth, and part lies.  
Gandalf kept himself close to Frodo so Mira chose to walk with Merry and Pippin instead, sometimes accompanied by Gimli. The Dwarf took a particular liking towards her humor and sarcasm and sometimes the others could hear his booming laughter echoing over the fields.  
Legolas kept walking around the group, sometimes going ahead to scout and report to Gandalf and Aragorn on his return. He never stayed with the group and for some reason that irritated Mira immensely.   
She could hear and see everything just as well from her spot in the group, he had no reason to hop around like he was doing right now. He was just showing off. 

When they came to their stop for the night on the 6th day, the Hobbits were exhausted. Gandalf and Aragorn hadn’t allowed them to stop during the day, not even for a meal. The days of constant walking without breaks started to take their toll. And she suspected they finally realized this wasn’t just some fun trip to Mordor and back in a few days. They hadn’t spoken a word for hours.  
Sam unpacked his trusty pan and started cooking, but not even the foresight of food could lift the other Hobbit’s spirits up. 

She let herself drop between Merry and Pippin. They hardly acknowledged her presence.  
“Hey, it’s okay to be a little scared you know,” she whispered to them. 

“We’re not scared,” Merry said proudly. 

“Course not, and Gimli’s beard isn’t even real!” she laughed. When their eyes widened, she assured them that it was only a joke and she begged them not to go test the authenticity of his beard. 

“I only said that to let you know that I know you’re lying, Merry. But like I said, it’s okay to be scared. I used to be scared all the time.”  
She put her hand in her pocket. “Until I got this…”

She opened her palm and showed them what was inside: a blue-green gem stone, shaped like a small rock.

“What is that, my lady?” Merry asked her, looking at the stone in her hand. 

She showed it to them, the blue-green shine reflecting in their eyes. 

“It’s my good luck charm. It was a gift from my father when I was only a child. When I have this with me, I know it will all be okay.” 

“Does it help you win fights?” Pippin wondered.

“It always does, I never lost one since,” she smiled at him. Pippin’s smile grew wider and it warmed her heart, glad to see her trick had helped.   
She took his little hand and placed the stone in it. “Keep this with you,” she whispered to him.   
It wasn’t easy for her to part with the gemstone, it was the last thing she had that reminded her of her parents. But when she saw his face light up she knew she’d done the right thing.

“Luck has nothing to do with it, only courage, skills and experience can help you win a fight,” Legolas said to Pippin, before he headed towards the other side of the camp.   
Mira saw Pippin’s smile falter and it made her angry. Who the hell did he think he was?

She stood up and went his way. Legolas stood tall on the top of a large boulder, scanning the surroundings for possible threats. He didn’t even look down when she reached him. 

“What is your problem?”

His eyes met hers briefly, before he continued staring in the distance.   
“You should not give them false hope.”

Mira scoffed. “I’m not giving them false hope! They’re capable of a lot more than you give them credit for!”

He didn’t react to that. In fact, he ignored her completely, his eyes locked to a point somewhere in the distance. Completely fed up with his attitude, she climbed the rock he was standing on and stood right in front of him. 

“Hey, I’m talking to you,” she snapped, poking his chest. 

“I heard you,” he answered.

“They joined the fellowship to help us destroy the Ring, the least you could do is help them in return. Yes, they aren’t warriors or experienced fighters like you and me.” He snorted at that, but she let it slide. “But they want to learn. And you talking them down like that is not helping!”

She turned around, leaving a confused Legolas behind, not sure how he should react.   
When she wanted to jump off the rock, her foot slipped and she would’ve hit her head or made a nasty fall if Legolas hadn’t grabbed her under her arms and lowered her to the ground. 

“It seems like your luck has run out,” he challenged, easily slipping back in his previous attitude. “You might want to ask your stone back.”

“You’re impossible!” she grunted, pulling her arm out of his grasp. 

When she stomped back to Merry and Pippin, she failed to notice the twinkles in Gandalf’s eyes had returned and the suppressed snickers from the others who had watched their interaction with mirth...


	5. Chapter 5: Eregion

After about 6 days they reached Eregion. A decision had to be made on the best way to cross the Misty Mountains, so they took a longer break than usual.   
Gandalf and Aragorn were sitting on the rocks smoking their pipe, Sam made a fire and was surely planning to cook something soon and Legolas kept watch. Again.

Merry and Boromir were standing in the middle of the clearance.   
Boromir had promised the Hobbit a few days ago to teach him how to wield a sword - well, dagger in his case. Mira snorted, the image of Merry trying to wield a human sized sword now in her head. Gandalf gave her a questioning look, but she shook her head.   
The grey wizard was happy to see her smile more often, and was more than relieved that Mira seemed to have found her place within the fellowship. 

“Are you ready?” Boromir asked Merry, swords in their hand. He swallowed heavily, but gave a small nod.   
“Come on, Merry!” Mira cheered him on.   
Merry was the first one to make a move, and Boromir easily parred him. She noticed he didn’t use his full force, going easy on the Hobbit.   
Boromir had surprised her in the last couple of days, he was kinder than she had given him credit for. He may have doubted her in the beginning of the journey, but it seemed that he finally warmed up to the idea of a woman in the fellowship. They had talked a couple of times while crossing the fields, mostly about his brother. He caught her every time she slipped or tripped over her own feet - which was more often than she would have liked - and he was never disrespectful about it. That’s not what she could say about Legolas, hearing him snort or sigh every time Boromir had to grab her waist or arm to prevent her from smacking to the ground. 

Merry did his best, but was no match to the experienced warrior. He ducked when Boromir swung his sword at him, and tried to hit him with his dagger. The only thing he cut was a hole in the air.   
Aragorn laughed. “Move your feet, Merry!”  
It was a welcome distraction, after days and days of endless hiking, crossing the plain fields. But they did have something important to discuss. 

“If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which they’re not,” Gimli started, “I’d say we are taking the long way around. We should pass through the Mines of Moria, Gandalf. My cousin Balin will give us a royal welcome!”  
“No Gimli, I will not take the road through Moria unless there was no other choice,” Gandalf answered him. 

Mira released her breath in relief. She hated being underground. Elves get restless when they can’t see the sky, and she was no exception.   
She continued to watch Merry and Boromir, and noticed that the warrior of Gondor wasn’t holding back anymore. Mira suspected it was no longer a training session to him, but more some kind of way to show off his skills. 

“Hold on,” she interrupted the fight. Boromir watched her walk to Merry.   
“What’s wrong, my lady?” he asked. She waved at him.   
“Nothing, don’t worry. I just want to give Merry some pointers.”

Mira crouched down to Merry’s level and lowered her voice to a whisper so no one else could hear them. Well, Legolas probably could but he was still busy staring at their surroundings. He never let his guard down and although she thought he was taking this far too seriously, she also admired his dedication. Wait a minute… Did she just think something nice about him?  
“My lady?” Merry asked, interrupting her thoughts.  
“Right! Sorry,” she laughed. “Merry, he’s not fighting fair anymore. So you won’t do that either. Here’s what you are going to do.”  
She whispered a few things in his ear, and his eyes went wide at first but a wicked grin followed quickly. She gestured at Pippin to come over and did the same with him. 

When she sat back next to Aragorn, he eyed her curiously.  
“What did you say to them?”  
Mira shrugged. “Nothing much, just a little something to make the fight fairer.”  
Merry got back in position with regained confidence, and gave Mira a wink. She raised her thumb at him. 

Everyone was watching the so-called ‘training session’, their discussion about the route they should take completely forgotten. Boromir was a bit hesitant at first, curious about the ‘pointers’ the hooded lady had given his opponent.   
The fight that followed was nothing like the first few rounds. Merry went full force on Boromir and tried to hit him as many times as he could.   
Boromir blocked them all with his shield, before he finally raised to his full height and swung his sword at Merry. The Hobbit wasn’t quick enough and the blade hit his arm.   
Merry cried out in pain and Boromir instantly dropped his shield and sword, making his way over to the Hobbit. 

“I’m so sorry,” he gasped, but when he reached Merry, he saw his expression change from a grimace to a full grin.   
Before he could do anything, he heard Mira yell: “Now!” and he was thrown to the ground by the two Hobbits.   
“For the Shire!” they cried, desperately trying to keep Boromir on the ground. Mira was a bit anxious about the warrior’s reaction, but he took it rather well. More than well, since his laughter could be heard all over the ruïns of Eregion. Most of the fellowship followed his example.  
“Aragorn! Help me!”

Aragorn put out his pipe and tried to help him to his feet, but soon suffered the same fate.   
Mira smiled smugly, satisfied that she had succeeded. The confidence of Merry and Pippin got the boost they needed, Boromir had learned his lesson and everyone’s spirits were lifted.   
“I know what you did,” Gandalf said to her.   
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  
Gandalf said something else, but Mira didn’t hear. A sudden uneasy feeling overcame her, and she looked around in an attempt to find the cause. 

“What’s that?” Frodo suddenly asked, and he went to stand next to Legolas.   
Merry and Pippin let go of Boromir and Aragorn, and they all looked at the sky ahead.

“It’s just a whiff of cloud,” Gimli grumbles, still angry that Gandalf wouldn’t listen to him. 

That is definitely not a cloud, Mira thought. If she wasn’t mistaken, those were Saruman’s Crebain. She couldn’t say anything, and could only hope Legolas would. What good was it that he was the one constantly on watch when he couldn’t see danger when it was right in front of him?   
Boromir stood next to her, his eyes on the black ‘cloud’.

“It’s moving against the wind,” he noticed. Very clever, Mira thought. Why is it taking them so long?  
“Crebain from Dunland!” Legolas yelled, finally realizing what it was.  
“Hide!” Mira cried, and grabbed Merry and Pippin by their hand and quickly shoved them under the first protruding rock she saw. It was too small for her, but big enough to hide the two Hobbits. 

With her vow to protect the Halflings in mind, she looked around for Sam and Frodo but couldn’t spot them anywhere. Hoping they’d found a good hiding spot, she dived between a few skinny bushes. The others could take care of themselves. 

Before the Crebain reached them, someone wrapped their arm around her waist and pulled her into a shallow gap in the ground. It was hidden from plain sight because of the overhanging bushes. She yelped in surprise, and a hand covered her mouth.   
“Hush! Or do you want them to know we are here?”  
She rolled her eyes. Of course it was Legolas. She pulled his hand from her mouth and reached for her hood, pulling it even further over her head. To hide her identity, but mostly because she didn’t have to look at him that way.   
The crow-like birds flew over them, their horrible squawking noise painful to her ears. Her hands flew over the fabric of her cloak to cover her ears in an attempt to shut out the noise.   
She felt her eyes tremble. Not now, she groaned but her vision shifted despite her attempts to suppress it. 

The images were clear but shifting very fast, Mira had to concentrate to keep up with them.   
She saw the Crebain in some kind of fiery mine workplace, Saruman, snow, darkness, hundreds of riders on horses, battles and a boat toppling over the edge of a waterfall.   
When the images started to fade, she felt Legolas’ hands on her shoulder and waist, slightly shaking her. 

“Mira?”

“Is everything alright?” she heard another voice. 

Great, she thought to herself. How am I going to explain this?   
She pushed Legolas’ hands off of her and clambered out of the gap, wiping the dust of her legs and arms. 

“What happened?” Aragorn asked her. He, Gimli and Boromir stood at the edge of the gap.   
“Nothing,” she answered.   
“She was not responding to me, her eyes were glazed over,” Legolas said, his cold stare directed at her. It was obvious he didn’t trust her at all.   
“Clearly your eyes are failing you, blondie,” she snapped, pointing at her eyes.   
“I know what I saw!” he yelled at her. 

“This is not the time nor the place to discuss this matter,” Gandalf intervened, coming to her aid.  
“What was that, Gandalf?” Sam asked.   
“Spies of Saruman! The South Pass is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras,” Gandalf decided.

Everyone gathered their things and started packing for the mountain hike. When Legolas passed Mira, he bumped her shoulder which made her falter. She squinted her eyes at him.   
“You know,” Gandalf spoke. “Kindness does wonders.”  
“That goes both ways, Gandalf,” she said, jaw still clenched. “Do I have to tell them about my visions?”  
“In due time, my dear. In due time.”  
He walked to the others and urged them to follow him.

Mira looked towards the snowy mountains and sighed. She hated snow.


	6. Chapter 6: The Pass of Caradhras

What did she say again? That she hated snow? Scratch that, Mira thought when she lost her footing again. She loathed snow. 

The climb up the mountain was harder than she had anticipated. Not exactly for her, but she noticed how the Hobbits had a hard time keeping up with the rest of the fellowship. Mira admired how they kept going despite the cold, without any complaining. And barefoot!   
Gandalf, Gimli and Boromir were leading the way and made a path through the thick layer of snow so the Hobbits could walk more easily. Aragorn followed the halflings with the pony, and Mira closed the ranks.   
For the first time she cursed the fact that she made the decision to hide she was an Elf. If she hadn’t, she could dartle over the snow like Lord Twinklefeet was doing. 

By the time Mira could walk over the path the others had cleared, the snow was pressed by the weight of the fellowship walking over it and Bill the pony, which made it extremely slippery. Combine that with her usual clumsiness and it was not hard to guess she was spending more time trying to stay on her feet than actually making progress, under a constant murmuring of words Aragorn never expected to hear coming out of a ladies’ mouth. 

After a few hours of struggling she came up with an idea, cursing herself for not thinking about it sooner. She was trying to close the distance between her and Bill, her target, when the wet fabric of her trouser legs got stuck together making her lose her balance.   
Before she lost her fight with gravity completely, a hand grabbed her elbow and steadied her. She looked up to thank whoever it was, only for her smile to falter when she met a pair of icy blue eyes.  
“Can you at least try to stay on your feet for five minutes?” he grumbled.  
“I don’t know, can you try not to act like an Orc’s hairy ballsack for five minutes?” she quipped back, mimicking him. Her comebacks definitely suffered from her exhausted state, but Legolas was insulted anyway so she was satisfied.   
The Elf stared at her, his eyes searching her features as if he was looking for something specific.   
She didn’t wait for him to find it and pulled her elbow out of his grasp.   
“Thank you for…” Mira started, but Legolas didn’t pay her any further attention and made his way to the front of the group before she could finish her sentence.

Aragorn shrugged his shoulders when he met Mira’s gaze, and waited for her until she caught up with him and Bill.   
She clung to the straps of Bill’s saddle for extra support - her original plan - and sighed.   
“He’s not all that bad once you get to know him,” Aragorn said.  
“Somehow I doubt that.”  
“Elves are a bit prejudiced when it comes to other races, you certainly would know.”  
The ranger looked at her, and his hands went to her face. Before she could flinch away, he pulled her hood a little further over her head, tucking her hair in the cape.   
Mira looked at him, totally lost for words. Which was a first, to be honest.   
“Ho-how did you know?”  
“Know what?” he smirked and winked at her, giving Bill’s reins a little tug to get him moving again. 

If that was meant to reassure her, it didn’t work.   
She trudged along with Bill, her hand firmly clasped around the straps, turning her knuckles white. But she didn’t notice, too deep in her own thoughts.   
Was Aragorn just teasing her or did he really know she was an Elf? And if he did, did he also know who she was? That was almost impossible!   
She couldn’t ask him without raising even more suspicion… This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good at all!

Mira’s head was practically spinning with all the questions and concerns she had.   
If Aragorn knew, did the others too?   
And how did he find out? Was she getting sloppy?   
Maybe it was better if she left before she got herself in trouble…

“Mira,” Aragorn called to her, pulling her out of the storm in her mind.   
She looked at him questioningly.   
“Stop worrying so much. You’re fine.”  
His silent promise shone clear in his eyes, he wasn’t going to tell the others.  
Mira would be fine. She had to be. 

Eventually the snow became thicker and thicker, enough for every member of the Fellowship to walk on top of it.  
This was a huge improvement, especially for Mira and the Hobbits, and it had affected everyone’s mood for the better.   
Mira was animatedly talking to Sam, Merry and Pippin, telling them about some of her adventures with Gandalf. She could hear the Grey Wizard chuckle now and then when she recalled something funny or when Merry or Pippin gasped at the outcome of her tales.   
Legolas was dartling behind them, scoffing and tutting at her as if he didn’t believe a word she said. But Mira didn’t let it get to her and had no problem in ignoring the Elf altogether. 

The generally friendly dynamics of the fellowship would be tested for the first time later that day.

They were walking on top of a mountain ridge, feet sinking in the snow but keeping a decent pace. Mira was still walking with Bill and the rest of the Hobbits, at the front of the group this time, Legolas and Boromir behind them; when she suddenly heard Aragorn yell Frodo’s name. 

Turning around, they saw how Frodo had lost his footing and was tumbling down the mountain, until Aragorn was able to stop him. The ranger helped him back to his feet, and wiped the snow off his cloak.   
The dark haired Hobbit smiled in thanks, before he frantically grasped around his neck and his clothes.   
Realizing he lost the ring, everyone held their breath. 

Mira let her eyes glide over the snow, following Frodo’s trail. She was almost certain Legolas was doing the same thing. 

It was Boromir however who found the ring before either Legolas or Mira could locate it. Holding it at arm's length, he focused on the twirling motion of the ring when he let the chain glide slowly through his fingers. Mira saw the warrior’s eyes shimmering with something she couldn’t decipher, and an uncomfortable feeling came over her. 

“Boromir,” Aragorn spoke up, the warning very clear in his voice.   
But he didn’t hear him, his eyes still fixated on the golden ring.   
“It is such a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt, over such a small thing. Such a little thing,” the soldier of Gondor wondered aloud.   
Mira couldn’t keep quiet anymore. “Boromir, give the Ring back to Frodo!”

That seemed to finally break his trance. His head snapped up and his eyes burned into Mira’s. His expression was so vicious Mira had to fight the urge to take a step back.   
At the same time she noticed a small movement in the corner of her eyes. She turned her head slightly to the left, surprised to see it was Legolas who had taken a step towards her. His jaw clenched and hands spread open to intervene as soon as needed.   
That was a first…

Boromir stood up straight and his features softened a bit. He gave the ring back to Frodo, ruffling his hair.  
“As you wish. I care not,” he said with a forced smile.   
Somehow Mira doubted that, and looking at Aragorn’s hand hovering above the hilt of his sword, she realized they shared that feeling. 

Their journey further up the mountain was mostly spent in silence after that.   
The ledge they were walking on was too small for them to walk in pairs, so it wasn’t easy to keep a conversation going anyway. Boromir kept himself far away from Frodo and the ring, and lingered at the back with Aragorn.

It started snowing to much delight of the Hobbits - save for Frodo. Only a few snowflakes at first but as soon as the wind started to pick up there was a full-blown snowstorm going on.   
The Hobbits were less enthusiastic by now, shivering and clutching their cloaks a little tighter around them. 

Mira didn’t pay a lot of attention to the weather, thinking about Legolas’ previous actions instead. Was he truly worried Boromir would do something to her?   
She snorted, Legolas being worried about her was as likely as Pippin refusing afternoon tea.   
Non existent.   
He was only doing his duty, protecting the fellowship as a whole. Nothing more, nothing less. 

The icy wind continued to blow relentlessly, making it feel as if millions of little needles were pinching Mira’s face. Cursing herself for agreeing to come along this quest, and cursing Gandalf even more, she kept a close eye on Merry and Pippin.   
She had suggested carrying them before, but they didn’t want to hear it. Mira’s arguments that their feet would freeze or they would get frostbite all fell on deaf ears.   
After another hour she couldn’t bear watching them struggle any longer, but before she could pick them up, Boromir beat her to it. 

“We have to find shelter,” Mira yelled at him, trying to be heard over the howling wind. “It will be the death of the little ones if we don’t!”  
Boromir shouted something back at her, but his words were lost to her, drowned out by another, threatening voice in the air.

“Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse, nai yarvaxea rasselya!”

She was certain the others couldn’t hear it. It was hardly audible for her Elven ears so if she said something, it would give her away.   
She needed to get to Aragorn or Gandalf.   
“There is a fell voice in the air!” Legolas bellowed.   
No kidding, Mira thought immediately, but she was grateful that he had said something.

“It’s Saruman!” Gandalf answered.  
A bolt of lightning lit up the sky before it hit the top of the mountain, followed by a deafening thunder only seconds later.   
“Watch it!” Gimli roared.  
Mira acted on instinct, she scooped Sam up in her arms and pushed Bill against the side of the mountain. They hid just in time, dozens of boulders and smaller rocks thundered down the mountain, missing them by an inch.   
She squeezed her eyes shut and turned around to shelter Sam from the debris.

When the mountain went quiet again, they were surprised to see no one was injured except for a few scratches. It would only be a matter of time before someone would get seriously hurt.   
Aragorn realised it too.   
“Gandalf, he’s trying to bring down the mountain. We must turn back!”  
But the Grey Wizard didn’t want to hear it.   
“No! Losta Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuithho i’ruith!”

“Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse, nai yarvaxea rasselya!”

The mountain shook and the rumbling started again, but this time it was snow instead of boulders.   
Legolas could barely pull Gandalf out of the way in time before the avalanche hit and they were all covered in a thick layer of snow. 

Mira and Legolas were one of the first to resurface, Legolas giving her a curious glare.  
“Find the Hobbits!” she yelled at him.   
When he turned around and started digging through the snow, she checked if her shawl and hood were still in place. Just to be sure.   
Boromir, Aragorn and Gimli were next and they helped locate Merry and Pippin, while Mira took care of Bill the pony. He lost most of their luggage and provisions but he himself was unharmed, thank goodness.   
To Mira’s surprise and delight she found that the missing packages were scattered over the path, and not lost like she’d thought. 

Boromir made his way over to the Grey Wizard, shoving large chunks of snow to the side.   
“We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take west to my city!”

Aragorn was helping Mira and Gimli with retrieving their supplies, digging them out of the snow and tying them to Bill’s saddle again; but stopped when he heard what Boromir had suggested.   
“No, the Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!” he yelled.   
Gimli decided it was the perfect time to remind them of his suggestion.  
“If we can’t pass over the mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria.”  
“Let the Ring Bearer decide,” Gandalf announced. 

Frodo looked around him, not really knowing what to do. He looked at the huddled forms of Merry, Pippin and Sam.  
Mira felt her heart sink with the possible prospect of crossing the underground passage.   
Sure, she despised the snow. But she hated the Mines even more...

“We will go through the Mines,” Frodo decided, although he seemed not so sure of himself.   
Gandalf closed his eyes and sighed, just like he did when Frodo had volunteered to take the ring to Mordor. 

“So be it.”


End file.
